Resources for farmers during pandemic

We look at where farmers can turn for help during this pandemic.

NBC 26 TO SHINE ALIGHT ON THERESOURCESAVAILABLE DURINGTHIS PANDEMIC.AGRICULTUREEXPERTS SAY OURLOCAL FARMERS HAVEHAD A TOUGH FEWMONTHS AS THEIRMILK PRICES HAVEDROPPEDDRAMATICALLY.TONIGHT..NBC26'SMATT JARCHOWSHOWS US WHEREFARMERS CAN GOFOR HELP..AT DIEDERICH FARMS..THE WORK GOES ON..DAN DIEDERICH,DIEDERICH FARMS"Right now we're doingplanting."TRACTORS ARE STILLIN THE FIELD..COWS ARE STILL INTHE BARN..BUT THE END RESULTOF THIS WORK..ISN'TPAYING FARMERSWHAT THEY NEED.DAN DIEDERICH,DIEDERICH FARMS"With the hammering ofour milk price we aretrying to get in line foranything that we can."DAN DIEDERICH SAYSTHEY'VE LOOKED ATWAYS TO GET SOMEHELP..AND HAVEFOUND SOME.THEY GOT MONEYFROM THE FEDERALPAYCHECKPROTECTIONPROGRAM THATALLOWED THE FARMTO MAKE PAYROLL.DAN DIEDERICH,DIEDERICH FARMS"But with the price hit thatwe've taken, we need a lotmore."AND GETTING HELPHASN'T ALWAYS BEENEASY..DAN DIEDERICH,DIEDERICH FARMS"It is frustrating becausemoney today is moreimportant than money insix months.

There's a lotof farmers that are reallystruggling and can't payour bills."LIZ BINVERSIE, UW-EXTENSION BROWNCOUNTY"It's definitely a strugglefor our farmers."LIZ BINVERSIE, UW-EXTENSION BROWNCOUNTY"In some cases farmersare getting the supportthat they hoped for, inother cases maybe they'renot quite eligible for theamount they'd like to seeor need."EXPERTS AT UW-EXTENSION SAY THEPAYCHECKPROTECTIONPROGRAM IS A GOODOPTION FORFARMERS TO LOOKAT..ANOTHER COULD BETHE PANDEMICUNEMPLOYMENTASSISTANCEPROGRAM..A THIRD COULD BEECONOMIC INJURYDISASTERLOANS..WHICH RIGHTNOW..ARE OPEN ONLYFOR AGRICULTURALBUSINESSES.LENDERS SAY THEPROGRAM OR OPTIONTHAT'S BEST FOR ONEFARMER..MAY NOT BETHE CASE FORANOTHER.MARK GREENWOOD,COMPEER FINANCIAL"Everybody has beenimpacted, and really whatwe're trying to do is workwith everybody on a caseby case basis and try towork with them anddevelop a program thatbest suits their business."DIEDERICH SAIDFARMERS HAVE A LOTOF COSTS THIS TIMEOF YEAR.NOW THEY NEED THEREVENUE TO MATCH.DAN DIEDERICH,DIEDERICH FARMS"We're making sure thatall the work still needs toget done, it's just aboutmaking sure we haveenough resources to beable to continue to dothat."..MATT JARCHOW, NBC26.AND HERE'S A CLOSERLOOK AT SOME OFTHOSE PROGRAMS..THE PAYCHECKPROTECTIONPROGRAM ANDECONOMIC INJURYDISASTER LOANS AREBOTH OPERATED BYTHE SMALL BUSINESSASSOCIATION..WE HAVE A LINK TOTHE PROGRAMS ONOUR WEBSITE AT NBC26 DOT COM.ANOTHER OPTION IS ADAIRY REVENUEPROTECTIONPROGRAM THATHELPS SAFEGUARDFARMERS AGAINST ADROP IN MILK PRICES.LENDERS SAYFARMERS SHOULDCHECK WITH THEIRBANK ABOUT SOME OFTHESE OPTIONS.